Disney DVDs made in México?!

[Pluto Region1]

Ok, I tried a general search for "made AND Mexico" and I get 35 threads and can't find this issue exactly answered in the 5 or 6 I had time to examine, so I am taking a short cut and posting as a topic.

My husband was examining a Disney DVD I just received via mail from Deep Discount DVD and noticed that on the back, on the shrink wrap, it says, "Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Made in Mexico". He assumed it was an inferior DVD and that is how Deep Discount sells for less.

I am a new collector only having bought Disney DVDs since October of this year. I then pulled out all the Disney DVDs that I have gotten from various sources and took a look. Some say "Buena Vista Home Entertainment" and some have nothing at all stamped on the shrink wrap. Others say "Buena Vista Home Entertainment Made in Mexico" Doesn't seem to matter what store it is; the Disney ones from Target, some say "made in Mexico" and some don't. Same with Deep Discount; not all of them say "made in Mexico".

Is my husband right that the discounters are selling inferior or bootleg Disney DVDs that come from Mexico or are they all made in Mexico but the factories making them are not consistent in the stamping on the shrink wrap? Why wouldn't the stamping be consistent?

[TM2-Megatron]

I'd imagine alot of DVDs are made in Mexico; doesn't mean they're lower quality (provided they're still authentic Disney DVDs). Check the back of the DVD case. Since you got it from a legitimate American retailer, if it's a genuine product meant for sale in America, it should say something like:

"This product (including its soundtrack) is authorized for sale and use in the U.S.A. only"

[Pluto Region1]

I'd imagine alot of DVDs are made in Mexico; doesn't mean they're lower quality (provided they're still authentic Disney DVDs). Check the back of the DVD case. Since you got it from a legitimate American retailer, if it's a genuine product meant for sale in America, it should say something like:

"This product (including its soundtrack) is authorized for sale and use in the U.S.A. only"

Thanks! I guess I should re-phrase this; not to suggest Mexico can't make a decent product.... but is it an indication of a price tiering structure where DVDs to be sold at a lower price to discount stores, are being made in Mexico (since Mexico has a lower wage scale)?

Also the stamp varies from DVD to DVD and from store to store - the Aristocats has no stamp on it whereas the Bambi one from Deep Discount says "Buena Vista Home Entertainment, made in Mexico". Ascent Minded Professor from Deep Discount has no stamp at all....

I think they are legit releases (hard to imagine that Target etc are selling bootlegs!), but perhaps they are making cheaper ones in Mexico to be sold to deep discount stores like Best Buy, Target, Costco... then again even that theory doesn't make sense because not all the DVDs I bought from Target say "made in Mexico."

[Jake Lipson]

They're just manufactured in Mexico, that's pretty standard. It's not subpar, and it's not a different disc. It's exactly the same as you'd get in a store here, Region 1 authentic DVD. It's just where that particular disc was manufactured. Nothing to worry about at all.

[jamminjake245]

Many of my Disney DVDs are made in Mexico such as Cinderella, Mulan, etc.

[Maerj]

As the other posters here have already said, there is nothing to worry about. It seems like almost all of the DVDs are now being made in Mexico, not just Disney's.

[Escapay]

As everyone said, yeah, the DVDs are made in Mexico and are top quality.

But the stamp, I believe, that states it's made in Mexico, is quite recent. I think it started showing up on DVDs in either late 2003 or early 2004.

Escapay

[2099net]

Yes, that's how you manage to get them so cheap from your local Wal*Mart or Best Buy.

Globalisation. Live with it.

[dvdjunkie]

It what they call outsourcing (sp) and it is something we have to live with. Their reasoning is the cheap labor in México keeps the cost of the DVD down. I don't buy that, but that's what they say.

Oursourcing (sp) is probably our biggest concern now. Most all of the DVD's I have seen in the last year or more say "made in Mexico" but then all have the statement "For sale or rental in the USA only".

Confusing, I know, but that is life today.

[2099net]

Oursourcing (sp) is probably our biggest concern now. Most all of the DVD's I have seen in the last year or more say "made in Mexico" but then all have the statement "For sale or rental in the USA only".

Correct. Globalisation. One rule for them, and another rule for us. So much for a level playing field.

[Pluto Region1]

Thanks you guys!

(I actually get a weekly e-newsletter all about the latest outsourcing and insourcing, where they bring in 3rd world labor to USA under H1B and L1 visa programs, its called the "Job Destruction Newsletter").

At least the Mexicans are still getting the work! Alot of companies are now closing up plants in Mexico in favor of China.

[Isidour]

At least you got the point here

now as a proud Mexican I will ask you to tell your husband that a "made in México" (because México has an accent) label on a product is not a synonym of less quality. And if he doesn`t believe me, please show him some pictures of Cancún or other touristic places because even when they aren`t sell-able products, those are proudly made in México

[Zoltack]

Many high quality electronics are made in Mexico. My A.M. stereo in my car, components in my computer, my TV and my paper shredder is made in Mexico. Yes China, Taiwan, and Japan give us high quality electronics too but the reason why we buy more in Mexico is because it's right below us. That's my assumption at least. So shipping cost are really cheap because you don't have to go overseas to get merchandise. A lot of American and Mexican Engineers produce many electronics as a matter of fact once I get my degree for Electrical Engineering there's a job lined up for me in Mexico. Oh and lets not forget India to0 many electrical Engineers are over there as well.

[thomashton]

Also the stamp varies from DVD to DVD and from store to store - the Aristocats has no stamp on it whereas the Bambi one from Deep Discount says "Buena Vista Home Entertainment, made in Mexico". Ascent Minded Professor from Deep Discount has no stamp at all....

A lot of your answer is right there in your question. The Aristocats was released a Gold Classic Collection dvd April 4, 2000--5.5 years ago. Absent Minded Professor was released January 14, 2003 for colorized or September 2nd, 2003 for original black and white on dvd. Bambi was released on dvd March 1st of this year.

My best guess is that you're looking at a change in manufacturing practices. I have received new disney dvds from DisneyDirect.com, Amazon, Wal-Mart etc. and all the new ones say Made in Mexico.

[Pluto Region1]

At least you got the point here

now as a proud Mexican I will ask you to tell your husband that a "made in México" (because México has an accent) label on a product is not a synonym of less quality. And if he doesn`t believe me, please show him some pictures of Cancún or other touristic places because even when they aren`t sell-able products, those are proudly made in México

I'm sorry for that Isador.... I will apologize for my husband as I am sure he didn't mean to offend anyone. This was really a question that sort of evolved from an idea about bootlegs into one about price tiers for the USA market....

I had gotten the idea that the DVDs might be bootlegs due to numerous discussions at this website about Asian imported DVDs. The discussions about the Asian bootlegs is also how I got the idea that ALL Disney DVDs were made here in the USA.

Then my husband noted the label "made in México" and suggested that the discount stores are probably getting the DVDs that are made in México. By cheaper DVDs, he didn't mean to imply quality, but cheaper due to cost to produce being lower there. I tied the two concepts together to produce a mistaken idea here that all Disney DVDs are made in USA and anything outside USA might be bootlegs. Thus I made it sound like Méxican products are inferior and I apologize for that (I should have just said "bootleg"). An additional piece of info that I did not explain is that the very first Disney DVDs that I bought in October actually came from the Disney studio lot - I bought a Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland (ME) and neither of them had "Made in México" on them, AND I paid alot more money for them ($24.99 for each), so this further cemented the idea that some DVDs were being made in the states and some in México. (It is ok to stone me now)

Had my husband never pointed out the label saying "made in México" I'd never know the difference.

In anycase, as others observed, I would agree that it appears Disney has not made DVDs in the USA for some time.

[Pluto Region1]

A lot of your answer is right there in your question. The Aristocats was released a Gold Classic Collection dvd April 4, 2000--5.5 years ago. Absent Minded Professor was released January 14, 2003 for colorized or September 2nd, 2003 for original black and white on dvd. Bambi was released on dvd March 1st of this year.

My best guess is that you're looking at a change in manufacturing practices. I have received new disney dvds from DisneyDirect.com, Amazon, Wal-Mart etc. and all the new ones say Made in Mexico.

Good observation - but I would assume that they have been making the Aristocats etc all these years. That they just didn't make a set amount in the year it was released and then stop. I can't imagine that the Aristocats DVD that I just bought has been sitting there for 5 years; I assume since it has not gone OOP that Disney just keeps cranking out a set amount of these DVDs year after year, in which case, the DVDs like Aristocats etc should start appearing with "made in México" labels just like the newer Bambi and Cinderella?

[castleinthesky]

Thanks you guys!

(I actually get a weekly e-newsletter all about the latest outsourcing and insourcing, where they bring in 3rd world labor to USA under H1B and L1 visa programs, its called the "Job Destruction Newsletter").

At least the Mexicans are still getting the work! Alot of companies are now closing up plants in Mexico in favor of China.

I'm sorry, but I think you have forgotten about the thousands unemployed in the United States.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I had gotten the idea that the DVDs might be bootlegs due to numerous discussions at this website about Asian imported DVDs. The discussions about the Asian bootlegs is also how I got the idea that ALL Disney DVDs were made here in the USA.

Even though we rarely hear about it, I'm even pretty sure there are legitimate (Disney) DVDs made in Asia.

[Isidour]

Thanks you guys!

(I actually get a weekly e-newsletter all about the latest outsourcing and insourcing, where they bring in 3rd world labor to USA under H1B and L1 visa programs, its called the "Job Destruction Newsletter").

At least the Mexicans are still getting the work! Alot of companies are now closing up plants in Mexico in favor of China.

I'm sorry, but I think you have forgotten about the thousands unemployed in the United States.

but there are even more in México and Asia, then they realize that making bootlegs DVDs is not the best solution but a temporary one, that sadly sometimes becomes the only one.
Even then there`s not piracy at the levels that Asia has reached, but I accept there is a very high number of bootlegs copies sold here.

But, let`s focus on the topic, because if we follow on this way this could be a political discussion and I don`t think that is a smart move



By the way Pluto Region1, I wasn`t angry (if I were...well...let`s say the things would be ugly)

[Spottedfeather]

My Viva La Bam first season set (not Disney, by the way) had Made In México printed on the plastic wrap. It seemed as well made as any of the other discs I own. (about 200) Shakira is from Colombia, right ? It seems that the Latin community have the lock on great quality exports !